{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-joins-bicameral-effort-to-expand-educational-opportunities/", "Cassidy Joins Bicameral Effort to Expand Educational Opportunities", "2026-09-22", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) joined U.S. Representative Adrian Smith (R-NE-03) and a bicameral group of colleagues in introducing the Educational Opportunities Expansion Package, which includes two bills to strengthen the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit, a key provision of the Working Families Tax Cuts. The package aims to expand educational opportunities for students nationwide by removing the current state opt-in requirement and ensuring that scholarship donors are not restricted in their giving based on their marital status. The Educational Choice for Children Act was signed into law as part of the Working Families Tax Cuts bill in 2025.\n\n\u201cAs parents, we know our children better than anyone. When we put parents in charge of their child\u2019s education, we give children the best opportunity to thrive,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cAnother win for School Choice!\u201d\n\nBackground\n\nAs Chairman of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Cassidy led Republican colleagues in introducing the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA), bicameral legislation to expand education freedom and opportunity for students. The legislation provides scholarships for an estimated two million students in elementary or secondary education settings for tuition, fees, supplies, and equipment for the enrollment or attendance at an elementary or secondary school.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-23T09:45:16Z", "2026-09-23T09:46:14Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-joins-bicameral-effort-to-expand-educational-opportunities/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.2499797157943249, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}